My three year old has just recently entered into a new season of his life-separation anxiety. :) Any time that Mommy is getting ready to leave, he starts to tense up a bit. I may only be dropping him off at Grandma and Grandpa’s house (which he loves to go to) or to the kid’s church class for an hour, but in his little mind, he is feeling like it’s going to be forever. He starts off by telling me good-bye about ten times, blows me twenty kisses, tilts his head and winks his eye at me about ten times….and then this process repeats itself. Lately, I’ve had to try a little Mommy tactic, to help him focus his mind on something else besides me leaving him. So, being the ‘expert’ Mommy that I am, :)…I tell him, “Josiah, if you are a real big boy and don’t cry, I have a pack of M&M’s in my purse for you when I pick you up.” Work’s every time!
Last week after I dropped him off at Grandpa’s house, and after we had gone through the whole process, I had to chuckle as I drove down the road. It’s pretty cute seeing my son’s little chubby cheeks and big brown eyes as he tilts his head and winks at me, another way of him saying, “I love you so much.” I know this separation anxiety season will only be temporary. My three older children had gone through it too. Now, they’ve quickly outgrown it and I laugh when I drop them off somewhere because I may not even get a “good-bye”; as they so excitedly run off for some fun time!
I was thinking about this whole separation anxiety thing and thought, “I want my relationship with Jesus to be like this.” Not anxiety of course, but where I just can’t seem to get enough time with Him. If I am apart from Him too long, it really bothers me. If I feel separated from Him, it’s not a ‘comfortable’ feeling, but one where I just can’t wait to be back with Him. It’s easy as adults to sometimes resemble my older children. We can go about our days, running off for our to-do lists and the things that are appealing in our eyes. Maybe we’re not forgetting to say, “good-bye”, but we are not even starting off with a “good morning”. I want it to feel so uncomfortable if I attempt to live out one day without His presence!
Six times in the Old testament we are told that David “inquired of the Lord” (1 Samuel 23:2, 4; 30:8; 2 Samuel 2:1; 5:19, 23) He knew he was nothing apart from God-that He could not even make it one day without the Lord. In fact, the first thing he did every morning-before turning to the business of the day-was to turn his heart toward the Lord in prayer:
Psalm 5:3 (Amplified Bible)
“In the morning You hear my voice, O Lord; in the morning I prepare [a prayer, a sacrifice] for You and watch and wait [for You to speak to my heart].”
Psalm 119:147 (NLT)
“I rise early, before the sun is up;I cry out for help and put my hope in your words.”
Apart from the presence, wisdom, and grace of God, we cannot do anything of true worth. If we humbly realize this and take the steps to keep ourselves connected with our loving God, we will be walking our days in His grace-His divine enabling to carry us through each day.
Are you feeling separated from Him today? How can you reconnect? Practically, do you need to start off your day in prayer? What about an encouraging devotional that will inspire you to get into the Word? What about Bible memorization? (I know this is one I am personally working on.) All of these things will keep us continually feeling close to our Heavenly Father. My challenge for you and me today is this…take intentional steps today to keep yourself from feeling separated from God. And once in a while, give Him a wink! ;)
Stephanie
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The first step for you and me in this process of guarding our finances this holiday season is realizing that we are just stewards, not owners. If you and I are going to manage our resources according to the bible we have to get it straight within our hearts who the true owner of those resources is. We are only stewards. Only the manager over the things entrusted to us. If you and I try to take over and claim ownership of our money, time, and resources it will lead us astray every time and many times bring destruction and defeat. Psalm 24:1 tells us, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it.”
A steward is just a manager of someone else’s property. They manage the property according to the owner’s wishes. An owner holds all rights to that thing. They are the legal titleholder and proprietor. What about you? Do you seem to fall into the mindset that you are the one that holds all rights to your money, time, and resources? Do you claim yourself as owner? Owner of your home, car, children, and business? Owner of your gifts and talents? We have to be very careful and very clear that we are only stewards, only managers. God is the true owner of everything you and I have. He is the one that should get the final say on how it should be managed. And trust me he has lots of advice for us on how to manage money in his word.
Think about the overwhelming mindset of the culture in which we live. “I worked hard for it and it’s mine!” The mindset that says it was my talent and hard work that earned this wealth and I should be able to do with it what I want to. Mine, Mine, Mine. This is the resounding word we see everywhere we look. You and I can also fall into this same seductive “mine” mentality. Scripture tells us to remember the Lord our God, for it is he that gives us the ability to produce wealth. Romans 14:12 says, “So then we will all give an account of ourselves to God.” We will certainly have to give an account to our “my money is my money” attitude if we have one. As we take on this attitude we begin to live beyond our means, confuse desires with needs, and rely on credit cards to sustain our “my money” lifestyle. Being a steward is adopting an attitude that says I have been made manager over these resources and I need to manage them wisely.
I really want to challenge you to think how different you would manage your money and resources if you truly did believe that God is owner and giver? As we close today’s study allow God to do an assessment over your life. Allow him to show you the areas that you are still trying to hold onto as owner instead of steward. It could be over your money, your home, your job, your children, or your gifts and talents. As long as you and I continue hold our grip on our resources as owner we will never be able to manage them as the steward that God expects us to be. When we take the appropriate role of steward, it is sure to bring God glory, and will certainly help you better guard your finances throughout the holidays.
xoxo
Justeina
A steward is just a manager of someone else’s property. They manage the property according to the owner’s wishes. An owner holds all rights to that thing. They are the legal titleholder and proprietor. What about you? Do you seem to fall into the mindset that you are the one that holds all rights to your money, time, and resources? Do you claim yourself as owner? Owner of your home, car, children, and business? Owner of your gifts and talents? We have to be very careful and very clear that we are only stewards, only managers. God is the true owner of everything you and I have. He is the one that should get the final say on how it should be managed. And trust me he has lots of advice for us on how to manage money in his word.
Think about the overwhelming mindset of the culture in which we live. “I worked hard for it and it’s mine!” The mindset that says it was my talent and hard work that earned this wealth and I should be able to do with it what I want to. Mine, Mine, Mine. This is the resounding word we see everywhere we look. You and I can also fall into this same seductive “mine” mentality. Scripture tells us to remember the Lord our God, for it is he that gives us the ability to produce wealth. Romans 14:12 says, “So then we will all give an account of ourselves to God.” We will certainly have to give an account to our “my money is my money” attitude if we have one. As we take on this attitude we begin to live beyond our means, confuse desires with needs, and rely on credit cards to sustain our “my money” lifestyle. Being a steward is adopting an attitude that says I have been made manager over these resources and I need to manage them wisely.
I really want to challenge you to think how different you would manage your money and resources if you truly did believe that God is owner and giver? As we close today’s study allow God to do an assessment over your life. Allow him to show you the areas that you are still trying to hold onto as owner instead of steward. It could be over your money, your home, your job, your children, or your gifts and talents. As long as you and I continue hold our grip on our resources as owner we will never be able to manage them as the steward that God expects us to be. When we take the appropriate role of steward, it is sure to bring God glory, and will certainly help you better guard your finances throughout the holidays.
xoxo
Justeina
For our final look at Romans 4, we will be breaking down verses 17-21.
"We call Abraham 'father' not because he got God's attention by living like a saint, but because God made something out of Abraham when he was a nobody. Isn't that what we've always read in Scripture, God saying to Abraham, 'I set you up as father of many peoples?' Abraham was first named 'father' and then became a father because he dared to trust God to do what only God could do: raise the dead to life, with a word make something out of nothing. When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn't do but on what God said he would do. And so he was made father of a multitude of peoples. God himself said to him, 'You're going to have a big family, Abraham!'
Abraham didn't focus on his own impotence and say, 'It's hopeless. This hundred-year-old body could never father a child.' Nor did he survey Sarah's decades of infertility and give up. He didn't tiptoe around God's promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said. That's why it is said, 'Abraham was declared fit before God by trusting God to set him right.' But it's not just Abraham; it's also us! The same thing gets said about us when we embrace and believe the One who brought Jesus to life when the conditions were equally hopeless. The sacrificed Jesus made us fit for God, set us right with God."
Abraham had every reason from human point of view to give up.
Take this to thought for a moment. Abraham and his household lived in an area with much traffic and met many travelers each day. We can assume that as the travelers passed through and Abraham met them on their way, they would exchange greetings. Abraham would instinctively tell these travelers his name (which means "father of many"), and since a name meant something during this time period, people would no doubt respond with, "Oh great! How many children do you have?!"
Of course, Abraham would have to respond, "None." We can assume that Abraham would hear the confusion from the travelers exchanges. Or walking by the tents at night, he would hear his servants whispers about how a man named "father of many" had no children.
Yes, Abraham had every reason from human point of view to give up.
Yet, Abraham believed God when he said that Abraham would have descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. Why?
His faith sprang from the promises of God. It was not irrational or baseless, but an assurance from evidence into the security of God's Word and promises. He concluded that the certainty of the divine promise outweighed every natural improbability.
Where in your life are you focusing on the natural improbability?
Are you believing in God's promise(s) for your life?
Abraham was first named father and then became a father. He dared to trust God to do only what God could do.
Yes, Abraham was 100 years old and certainly beyond the ability to have children. And yes, Sarah had been infertile for decades. But he didn't focus on that. V. 22 says that he "plunged into the promise."
Plunged. To immerse, to enter with sudden decision upon an unfamiliar course of action (dictionary.com).
I get this picture of running full on and doing a cannonball into the water. Just going for it, without looking back. Immersed.
As much as Abraham plunged in, neither did he shut his eyes to the unfavorable circumstances. I believe this is a trap for many, including myself. You try to convince yourself that if you ignore the problem or pretend it doesn't exist, it will go away. That's not biblical and certainly not what Abraham did. He carefully considered his age and Sarah's infertility...and realized that God's ability outweighed their inabilities.
Are you closing your eyes to an unfavorable circumstances instead of looking to God, the One for who nothing is impossible?
Abraham's faith did not become weak or doubt.
did not become discouraged by natural weakness.
was fully assured that God would do what He promised.
We must be people of faith! In Hebrews 11, it says that faith is a conviction of things not seen. Does that not represent Abraham completely?!
The word "faith" is used 5 times in this passage. This word has an emphasis that is was faith that secured what God has promised. FAITH.
What promise(s) have you received from the Lord?
"We call Abraham 'father' not because he got God's attention by living like a saint, but because God made something out of Abraham when he was a nobody. Isn't that what we've always read in Scripture, God saying to Abraham, 'I set you up as father of many peoples?' Abraham was first named 'father' and then became a father because he dared to trust God to do what only God could do: raise the dead to life, with a word make something out of nothing. When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn't do but on what God said he would do. And so he was made father of a multitude of peoples. God himself said to him, 'You're going to have a big family, Abraham!'
Abraham didn't focus on his own impotence and say, 'It's hopeless. This hundred-year-old body could never father a child.' Nor did he survey Sarah's decades of infertility and give up. He didn't tiptoe around God's promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said. That's why it is said, 'Abraham was declared fit before God by trusting God to set him right.' But it's not just Abraham; it's also us! The same thing gets said about us when we embrace and believe the One who brought Jesus to life when the conditions were equally hopeless. The sacrificed Jesus made us fit for God, set us right with God."
Abraham had every reason from human point of view to give up.
Take this to thought for a moment. Abraham and his household lived in an area with much traffic and met many travelers each day. We can assume that as the travelers passed through and Abraham met them on their way, they would exchange greetings. Abraham would instinctively tell these travelers his name (which means "father of many"), and since a name meant something during this time period, people would no doubt respond with, "Oh great! How many children do you have?!"
Of course, Abraham would have to respond, "None." We can assume that Abraham would hear the confusion from the travelers exchanges. Or walking by the tents at night, he would hear his servants whispers about how a man named "father of many" had no children.
Yes, Abraham had every reason from human point of view to give up.
Yet, Abraham believed God when he said that Abraham would have descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. Why?
His faith sprang from the promises of God. It was not irrational or baseless, but an assurance from evidence into the security of God's Word and promises. He concluded that the certainty of the divine promise outweighed every natural improbability.
Where in your life are you focusing on the natural improbability?
Are you believing in God's promise(s) for your life?
Abraham was first named father and then became a father. He dared to trust God to do only what God could do.
Yes, Abraham was 100 years old and certainly beyond the ability to have children. And yes, Sarah had been infertile for decades. But he didn't focus on that. V. 22 says that he "plunged into the promise."
Plunged. To immerse, to enter with sudden decision upon an unfamiliar course of action (dictionary.com).
I get this picture of running full on and doing a cannonball into the water. Just going for it, without looking back. Immersed.
As much as Abraham plunged in, neither did he shut his eyes to the unfavorable circumstances. I believe this is a trap for many, including myself. You try to convince yourself that if you ignore the problem or pretend it doesn't exist, it will go away. That's not biblical and certainly not what Abraham did. He carefully considered his age and Sarah's infertility...and realized that God's ability outweighed their inabilities.
Are you closing your eyes to an unfavorable circumstances instead of looking to God, the One for who nothing is impossible?
Abraham's faith did not become weak or doubt.
did not become discouraged by natural weakness.
was fully assured that God would do what He promised.
We must be people of faith! In Hebrews 11, it says that faith is a conviction of things not seen. Does that not represent Abraham completely?!
The word "faith" is used 5 times in this passage. This word has an emphasis that is was faith that secured what God has promised. FAITH.
What promise(s) have you received from the Lord?
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encouragement,
faith,
romans
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Christmas is coming! You can see it and smell it everywhere you turn. The stores are all full of Santa Clauses, pine trees, colorful lights, pumpkin pies and spiced cider. With the Holidays approaching quickly, we need to make sure we have a healthy mindset of the joy of giving while also being honest about our financial ability to give. So often families find themselves with a whopping credit card bill after Christmas that follows them around for months to come. All the stress and strain added to a marriage and family all for just one day of giving glee. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an amazing feeling to be able to give generously to the ones you love. But when you really think about it, today’s culture leads us to believe that we not only have to give generously to the ones we love, but even the ones we hardly like! (what? you didn't think i'd say that?)
We start to feel obligated and before we know it we are giving to our neighbors, teachers, coworkers, our third cousin we hardly know, all our children’s classmates, and we even keep a few extra gifts handy…just in case someone we don’t expect gives us one. We fall into this vicious cycle all the while causing our financial status to plummet further and further into chaos.
I want to spend the next few weeks talking about the balance between giving generously and being content to refuse to give under compulsion. What would change for you this year if you really did throw off that feeling of obligation to buy things beyond your means for the ones in your world? Would the end result of your holiday shopping sprees be different this year if you chose to use wisdom from God’s word rather than following the cultures standard? I imagine your answer is that it would be. What a freeing thing it would be to not spend all next year paying off what you couldn’t afford, but had to have this year. Just like you I could use a few reminders myself about the true meaning of Christmas. With a little direction from God and a lot of heart checks by us, we can have a holiday of giving without finding ourselves in bondage to the bills that follow. So be sure to check the blog every Monday over the next few weeks for our series called: Guarding Our Finances Through the Holidays. Until then just be praying and asking God to direct your steps and open your eyes to HIS plan for this year’s Christmas holiday!
xoxo
Justeina
We start to feel obligated and before we know it we are giving to our neighbors, teachers, coworkers, our third cousin we hardly know, all our children’s classmates, and we even keep a few extra gifts handy…just in case someone we don’t expect gives us one. We fall into this vicious cycle all the while causing our financial status to plummet further and further into chaos.
I want to spend the next few weeks talking about the balance between giving generously and being content to refuse to give under compulsion. What would change for you this year if you really did throw off that feeling of obligation to buy things beyond your means for the ones in your world? Would the end result of your holiday shopping sprees be different this year if you chose to use wisdom from God’s word rather than following the cultures standard? I imagine your answer is that it would be. What a freeing thing it would be to not spend all next year paying off what you couldn’t afford, but had to have this year. Just like you I could use a few reminders myself about the true meaning of Christmas. With a little direction from God and a lot of heart checks by us, we can have a holiday of giving without finding ourselves in bondage to the bills that follow. So be sure to check the blog every Monday over the next few weeks for our series called: Guarding Our Finances Through the Holidays. Until then just be praying and asking God to direct your steps and open your eyes to HIS plan for this year’s Christmas holiday!
xoxo
Justeina
In Part 4, we will be taking a look at V. 14-15.
"If those who get what God gives them only get it by doing everything they are told to do and filling out all the right forms properly signed, that eliminates personal trust completely and turns the promise into an ironclad contract! That's not a holy promise; that's a business deal. A contract drawn up by a hard-nosed lawyer and with plenty of fine print only makes sure that you will never be able to collect. But if there is no contract in the first place, simply a promise—and God's promise at that—you can't break it."
We've all seen a contract...and the fine print that goes with it. With the fine print there are loop holes. What Paul is trying to paint in this picture of a contract is that with fine print, we will never be able to fulfill the contract. We won't be able to hold up our end of the deal.
Our relationship with God is not a contract or a to-do list.
Went to church on Sunday...CHECK.
Put money in the offering...CHECK.
Did my good deed for the day...CHECK.
That is a list of works, not a relationship. A contract eliminates personal trust and relationship. You could never attend enough services, or give enough money, or do enough good deeds to set you right with God, because that isn't relationship.
When I was spending some time over these verses, I got this idea in my mind. Not that I would know personally, but I know there was a time in our history where people could trust each other by their word and a handshake. Today you would never see such personal trust but rather would see people pushing a contract to seal the deal. God doesn't want a signed contract from you, but to take His hand and trust Him at His word.
God wants a personal relationship with you!! Think about the following question for a moment...
Do you remember that first moment when you believed in Him. When you had that personal moment with God?
That was God choosing you, and you accepting His grace. That is a promise.
The person who trust in works nullifies the work of Christ on his behalf. I don't know about you, but I would rather have Christ working on my behalf than trying to get all the work done myself in vain. And yes it would be in vain. With a contract there are penalties for neglecting to fulfill what is there. Since you would never be able to hold up your end of the deal, you would inevitably face penalties.
Think about that for a moment. If it wasn't for God's grace, we would face penalties. How sweet is His grace.
For a moment, let's look at what Jesus has to say about this. In Luke 18. 9-14, Jesus tells a parable of a Pharisee and a tax collector.
"He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
Here is a Pharisee, a man thought by all righteous. And there to the side, a tax collector and one known for his sins. Yet in this picture Jesus highlights the humility of the tax collector. When I try to imagine the scene, I can't help but be shaken. The tax collector couldn't even lift his eyes to heaven while at that same moment a Pharisee is thanking God that he is not like that tax collector. We look at that picture and instantly side ourselves with the tax collector, but I know at times I've seen the Pharisee in me.
I don't want to be known for works but lack grace. I want to be known as someone who coupled the grace given freely to me with works of love.
Who do you see in you? Answer honestly. Is it the humbled sinner saved by grace? Or the self-exalted deemd right by works?
This coming week, examine the motives behind what you do. I know as a result of these verses, I want to carefully examine why I do what I do. And I want to live my life according to His promises and not by a to-do list.
"If those who get what God gives them only get it by doing everything they are told to do and filling out all the right forms properly signed, that eliminates personal trust completely and turns the promise into an ironclad contract! That's not a holy promise; that's a business deal. A contract drawn up by a hard-nosed lawyer and with plenty of fine print only makes sure that you will never be able to collect. But if there is no contract in the first place, simply a promise—and God's promise at that—you can't break it."
We've all seen a contract...and the fine print that goes with it. With the fine print there are loop holes. What Paul is trying to paint in this picture of a contract is that with fine print, we will never be able to fulfill the contract. We won't be able to hold up our end of the deal.
Our relationship with God is not a contract or a to-do list.
Went to church on Sunday...CHECK.
Put money in the offering...CHECK.
Did my good deed for the day...CHECK.
That is a list of works, not a relationship. A contract eliminates personal trust and relationship. You could never attend enough services, or give enough money, or do enough good deeds to set you right with God, because that isn't relationship.
When I was spending some time over these verses, I got this idea in my mind. Not that I would know personally, but I know there was a time in our history where people could trust each other by their word and a handshake. Today you would never see such personal trust but rather would see people pushing a contract to seal the deal. God doesn't want a signed contract from you, but to take His hand and trust Him at His word.
God wants a personal relationship with you!! Think about the following question for a moment...
Do you remember that first moment when you believed in Him. When you had that personal moment with God?
That was God choosing you, and you accepting His grace. That is a promise.
The person who trust in works nullifies the work of Christ on his behalf. I don't know about you, but I would rather have Christ working on my behalf than trying to get all the work done myself in vain. And yes it would be in vain. With a contract there are penalties for neglecting to fulfill what is there. Since you would never be able to hold up your end of the deal, you would inevitably face penalties.
Think about that for a moment. If it wasn't for God's grace, we would face penalties. How sweet is His grace.
For a moment, let's look at what Jesus has to say about this. In Luke 18. 9-14, Jesus tells a parable of a Pharisee and a tax collector.
"He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
Here is a Pharisee, a man thought by all righteous. And there to the side, a tax collector and one known for his sins. Yet in this picture Jesus highlights the humility of the tax collector. When I try to imagine the scene, I can't help but be shaken. The tax collector couldn't even lift his eyes to heaven while at that same moment a Pharisee is thanking God that he is not like that tax collector. We look at that picture and instantly side ourselves with the tax collector, but I know at times I've seen the Pharisee in me.
I don't want to be known for works but lack grace. I want to be known as someone who coupled the grace given freely to me with works of love.
Who do you see in you? Answer honestly. Is it the humbled sinner saved by grace? Or the self-exalted deemd right by works?
This coming week, examine the motives behind what you do. I know as a result of these verses, I want to carefully examine why I do what I do. And I want to live my life according to His promises and not by a to-do list.
Category:
encouragement,
faith,
romans
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Reflection Questions:
1. Looking at how circumstances affect you, would you say you have been a victim or victor?
2. After reading Romans 8:38-39, how does this make you feel about God's love for us, even amidst suffering?
3. When you have gone through areas of suffering in your own life, have you personally seen God use them into a greater intimacy with Him?
